Name: live imaging of the zebrafish embryonic brain by confocal microscopy
Uploaded: 2009-04-01T00:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Live Imaging of the Zebrafish Embryonic Brain by Confocal Microscopy at JoVE.com

<p class="jove_content">Many thanks to Dr. Jennifer Gutzman who first developed this technique in the Sive lab.  Thanks also to J. B. Green at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, MA who kindly provided the plasmid encoding CAAX-GFP mRNA. The confocal imaging was conducted at the W. M. Keck Foundation Biological Imaging Facility at the Whitehead. HS is supported by NIHMH70926. EG is supported by an NSF pre-doctoral fellowship.</p>

<p class="jove_title">1. Preparing the mRNA for Injection</p>
<ol>
<li>The mRNA used in this procedure is transcribed from a plasmid encoding CAAX-eGFP (memGFP) mRNA. First linearize the plasmid according to Gutzman et al, 2008.</li>
<li>Then transcribe memGFP mRNA using the mMessage mMachine kit.</li>
<li>Dilute the resulting mRNA to 1&mu;g/&mu;l, aliquot, and store at -80&deg;C.</li>
<li>Prepare an injection mold of 1% agarose with lanes the width of embryos at the one cell stage.</li>
<li>On the day before injection, set up mating cage...

<ol>
	<li>Gutzman, J. H., Graeden, E., Sive, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Formation+of+the+zebrafish+midbrain-hindbrain+boundary+constriction+requires+laminin-dependent+basal+constriction.">Formation of the zebrafish midbrain-hindbrain boundary constriction requires laminin-dependent basal constriction.</a> <em style='font-style: italic'>Mech Dev</em>. <b>125</b> (974), 11-12 (2008).</li><li>Westerfield, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> <em style='font-style: italic'>The Zebrafish Book: a Guide for the Laboratory Use of Zebrafish</em>. , (1995).</li></ol>

<p class="jove_content">In this video, we demonstrate a method for mRNA injection into single cell zebrafish embryos. Here, we use mRNA encoding a membrane-targeted GFP to label each cell. We then demonstrate how to mount and image the developing brain at single cell resolution. This technique has allowed us to study a novel type of cell shape change, basal constriction, required for formation of the midbrain-hindbrain boundary (Gutzman et al, 2008). Similar analysis of other phenomena has the potential to significantly expand our understanding...

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">	
		
		<div>
		<table border="1">
		<thead>
		<tr>
		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
		
<tr>
<td>SeaKem GTG agarose</td>
<td>   Reagent</td>
<td>Lonza</td>
<td>50027</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>3-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester (Tricaine)</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>A-5040</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Capillary tubing</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Frederick Haer and Co.</td>
<td>30-30-1</td>
<td>Borosil 1.0mmOD x 0.5mm ID/fiber 100mm</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Silicone vacuum grease</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>VWR</td>
<td>W0S717</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Forceps</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
<td>11232-20</td>
<td>Dumont #5 Bio Inox</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1-200 &#x03BC;l Pipette tips</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Tip One, US Scientific</td>
<td>111-0806</td>
<td>These are the correct size for 24 hpf embryos. </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>mMessage mMachine transcription kit</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Ambion</td>
<td>AM1340</td>
<td>SP6 RNA polymerase</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Zeiss LSM 510 scanning confocal </td>
<td>Microscope</td>
<td>Zeiss</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Micromanipulator</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Narishige</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Microinjector</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Medical Systems Research Products Harvard Apparatus</td>
<td>PLI-100</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Micropipette puller</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Sutter Instruments</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>
	

live imaging of the zebrafish embryonic brain by confocal microscopy

In this video, we demonstrate the method our lab has developed to analyze the cell shape changes and rearrangements required to bend and fold the developing zebrafish brain (Gutzman et al, 2008). Such analysis affords a new understanding of the underlying cell biology required for development of the 3D structure of the vertebrate brain, and significantly increases our ability to study neural tube morphogenesis. The embryonic zebrafish brain is shaped beginning at 18 hours post fertilization (hpf) as the ventricles within the neuroepithelium inflate. By 24 hpf, the initial steps of neural tube morphogenesis are complete. Using the method described here, embryos at the one cell stage are injected with mRNA encoding membrane-targeted green fluorescent protein (memGFP). After injection and incubation, the embryo, now between 18 and 24 hpf, is mounted, inverted, in agarose and imaged by confocal microscopy. Notably, the zebrafish embryo is transparent making it an ideal system for fluorescent imaging. While our analyses have focused on the midbrain-hindbrain boundary and the hindbrain, this method could be extended for analysis of any region in the zebrafish to a depth of 
80-100 &mu;m.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Live Imaging of the Zebrafish Embryonic Brain by Confocal Microscopy at JoVE.com

Live Imaging of the Zebrafish Embryonic Brain by Confocal Microscopy

<p class="jove_content">In this video, we demonstrate a method by which to analyze the developing vertebrate brain in live zebrafish embryos at single cell resolution by confocal microscopy. This includes the method by which we inject the single-cell zebrafish embryo and subsequently mount and image the developing brain. </p>

In this video, we demonstrate the method our lab has developed to analyze the cell shape changes and rearrangements required to bend and fold the ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

Two-photon axotomy and time-lapse confocal imaging in live zebrafish embryos

Zebrafish have long been utilized to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms of development by time-lapse imaging of the living transparent embryo.  ...

Live Imaging Of <em>Drosophila melanogaster </em>Embryonic Hemocyte Migrations

Live Imaging Of Drosophila melanogaster Embryonic Hemocyte Migrations

Many studies address cell migration using in vitro methods, whereas the physiologically relevant environment is that of the organism itself. Here we ...

Fluorescence-based Measurement of Store-operated Calcium Entry in Live Cells: from Cultured Cancer Cell to Skeletal Muscle Fiber

Fluorescens-basert Måling av Store-opererte Calcium Entry i levende celler: fra Helstøpt Cancer Cell til Skeletal Muscle Fiber

Store operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), earlier termed capacitative Ca2+ entry, is a tightly regulated mechanism for influx of extracellular Ca2+ into cells to ...

Imaging and 3D Reconstruction of Cerebrovascular Structures in Embryonic Zebrafish

Bildebehandling og 3D Rekonstruksjon av cerebrovaskulære Structures i Embryonale Sebrafisk

Zebrafish are a powerful tool to study developmental biology and pathology in vivo.  The small size and relative transparency of zebrafish embryos make ...

Analyzing Craniofacial Morphogenesis in Zebrafish Using 4D Confocal Microscopy

Analysere Kraniofacial Morphogenesis i sebrafisk ved hjelp av 4D konfokalmikroskopi

Time-lapse imaging is a technique that allows for the direct observation of the process of morphogenesis, or the generation of shape. Due to their optical ...

<em>In Vivo</em> 4-Dimensional Tracking of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Adult Mouse Calvarial Bone Marrow

In Vivo 4-Dimensional Tracking of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Adult Mouse Calvarial Bone Marrow

<em>In Vivo</em> 4-Dimensional Sporing av Hematopoietiske Stem og stamceller i Adult Mouse Calvarial Bone Marrow

Through a delicate balance between quiescence and proliferation, self renewal and production of differentiated progeny, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) ...

Live Cell Imaging and 3D Analysis of Angiotensin Receptor Type 1a Trafficking in Transfected Human Embryonic Kidney Cells Using Confocal Microscopy

Live-Cell Imaging og 3D Analyse av angiotensin reseptor type 1a Trafficking i transfekterte humane embryonale nyreceller ved hjelp konfokalmikroskopi

Live-cell imaging is used to simultaneously capture time-lapse images of angiotensin type 1a receptors (AT1aR) and intracellular compartments in ...

Biological Sample Preparation by High-pressure Freezing, Microwave-assisted Contrast Enhancement, and Minimal Resin Embedding for Volume Imaging

Biologiske utvalg forberedelse av høytrykks fryser, mikrobølgeovn-assistert kontrast ekstrautstyr og Minimal harpiks innebygging volum Imaging

The described sample preparation technique is designed to combine the best quality of ultrastructural preservation with the most suitable contrast for the ...

Live Imaging of Microtubule Dynamics in Glioblastoma Cells Invading the Zebrafish Brain

Levende avbildning av mikrotubulidynamikk i glioblastomceller som invaderer sebrafiskhjernen

With a dismal median survival time in real populations-between 6 to 15 months-glioblastoma (GBM) is the most devastating malignant brain tumor. Treatment ...

Autofluorescence Imaging to Evaluate Red Algae Physiology

Autofluorescensavbildning for å evaluere rødalgefysiologi

Red algae (Rhodophyta) contain phycobiliproteins and colonize habitats with dim light, however some (e.g., some Chroothece species) can also develop in ...